Arjun

As of this moment, I am no longer single, I am married to the woman sitting beside me, and she is fidgeting with her fingers and contemplating my decision to marry her. She has a smile on her face for the cameras but it looks fake to me, the only time she smiles genuinely is when she is with Amaya or the kids.

"You are officially my daughter now." Saying that Mom kissed Sakhi's head and pulled her into a hug.

One thing about my family is they are overly expressive, and Sakhi is the exact opposite of that as we all know and observed so far.

"What about us? " Amaya and Ananya pouted at my mom with puppy eyes, batting their eyelashes.

"You left me for your husband's, so go to them." My mom shooed them away.

I rolled my eyes looking at their childish actions.

"Vasudha, They are my kids, don't be mean to them. "My dad chimed in and hugged my sisters.

Sakhi who was still in my mother's hug looked tense, I can't imagine what was going on in her mind but I wanted to know it and ease her mind.

I followed her eyes as she was looking at her parents with tears looming in her eyes, her mom wasn't involved in the marriage, she was more like a guest than the bride's mother.

"Sakhi, Are you okay?" I asked holding her hand.

"I am fine." She smiled gulping the tears in and gave me a fake smile.

After a few more rituals and talking to people who attended, the wedding was finally over. We got back to the FarmHouse Dad owns.

My sisters took Sakhi away from me as soon as I stepped into the house before I had the chance to talk to her, so I got back to my room to freshen up. After a long shower and getting rid of all the stuff thrown at us at the wedding I settled in sighing out the long day I had so far.

"Why do I feel that there is something fishy in this wedding?" Dru asked slumping down beside me on the couch.

That's because the story you know is fake.

"And Why do you think so?" I questioned him with sarcasm setting my hair

"You said you came to India for Sakhi, but you guys act like strangers, Her parents are distant and don't look excited at all. Sakhi looks gloomy for a bride who is marrying the love of her life." He voiced out his thoughts while I was in awe at his observation skills.

"That's because her family is against her marrying me, they think she can get someone better than me. Sakhi is sad because of her parents." I answered all his observations.

"Why would they not like you? No woman in this world can better man than my brother." He huffed in pride.

Before he could probe more and think about this, I had to change the topic and for that to happen I said

"Is it really you? Did you just say that I am the best person any girl could get? I gotta tell Mom and everyone you said that.." I faked my sarcasm, when I actually felt proud that my brother thinks that way about me.

"No way! You are the worst brother ever. I'm going to kill you." He lunged at me with a pillow.

And so we started chasing each other around the house, Dru trying to catch me and me running away from him. Looking at us chasing each other, all the kids joined Dru and everyone in the house was ready to catch me if I paused my feet. The house was full of cheerful sounds and giggles, I missed my family, living alone without them is hard.

And so for an hour we played tag, hide and seek, and all the other games in the garden till the sun went down. After a hectic wedding and playing for hours, all the kids were drained and slept by the pool in the yard. Dru and I slowly picked each one and placed them on their beds.

All the men in the house were trying hard to keep their eyes open, jet lag was taking a toll on everyone and you can see it in their faces. 

As I was carrying Nini in my arms who clutched my shirt in her sleep, I saw a familiar figure at the entrance of the house. I walked closer and saw Krishnaa trying to come into the house and the security was stopping her.

I am glad at least her sister had the sense to look after Sakhi, who has been craving the love of her family.

I quickly ran to the gate and said

"Anna(Brother), She is family, Sakhi's Sister," I told him and he apologized opening the door for Krishnaa.

"Sorry about that, We had to tighten the security for personal reasons and they didn't know you," I told her as she walked in.

She gave me a small smile and kept looking around the house in shock, my guess would be because of the size of the house.

Dad always wanted to come back to India after he retires, he loves his country, so he built this house as his retirement home. It's a huge one settled on the outskirts with beautiful views of mountains and the city on either side. After Divya got married Dad rebuilt the house to fit in all kids so he could spend time with them during summers.

"Let's go in, Sakhi will be excited to see you here," I said to her.

After we entered the house, my dad, Jamie, and Andrew took Krishnaa away and started talking to her, trying to know more about her. I placed Nini in her bed, kissed her head, and walked to the living room.

"Let me take Krishnaa to meet Sakhi," I told them.

"Someone's desperate to see his wife, he is finding excuses to take a peek at her," Dru commented while others laughed.

We climbed upstairs to Amaya's room, I opened the door and found Sakhi, Amaya, and Ananya sleeping in my mother's lap and my mom was leaning on the headboard sleeping in a weird position.

As I watched Sakhi closer, there were dried-up tear stains on her face, I felt sad knowing that she cried. I gently moved my sisters and Sakhi off my mother and placed her right so she could sleep happily.

"I am sorry, looks like they are tired and sleeping. You can wait with us till they get up." I told Krishnaa while closing the door slowly.

"My father thinks that she is not happy and sent me to give her company, but here she is sleeping like a queen while I stood out there, scorching under the sun waiting to meet her." Krishnaa scoffed and I was shocked listening to her.

"This always happens, I get stuck with my sick and poor parents while she gets to enjoy the riches of life. I was the one who took care of my father when he was bedridden, while she got to go around the world in the name of work. And guess what, my father still loves her more than me, he looks at her pictures every day with tears in his eyes and this woman doesn't care. She didn't even bother to visit him when he got the surgery done. I don't know how she trapped you but you married the most selfish person ever. She doesn't deserve all this.."

All her words angered me, I glared at her and raised my hand to make her stop talking about my wife.

"Not another word,  I get it you are feeling jealous but do not blame my wife for the misery you felt. If you had food, clothing, education, and shelter for the last 10 years it was because of her. She suffered a lot for you to get those and here you are blaming her for your pain."

" She loves you a lot, she wanted you to be with her at the wedding like a sister, She longed for the love of your family and you all acted like strangers. Sakhi's love for your family is selfless. You don't have to recognize her efforts, please stop making her the villain in your story when she is the reason you guys are alive today. I appreciate you coming here but if you are here to make her feel sad, you can leave. " I told her and she stormed out of the house.

I might have ruined Sakhi's relationship with her sister, but I don't want Sakhi to feel upset hearing her sister being unkind toward her, after all the pain she went through over the last 12 years. She is a true example of loving someone unconditionally, I felt sad at her unrecognized love towards her family.

I went back to my dad's office room and worked on a few things for my schedule tomorrow as I will be reporting back at work. All my surgeries have been postponed for the wedding, so I walked through some research papers and the new technologies to keep me in the loop with the technical advancements in the medical field.

"Ajju...I was looking all over the house for you." Came in my mom's voice.

I looked at my watch and it was 8 P.M., I'd been cooped up in here for the last 4 hours. I walked up to the door and held her hand, feeling relieved after the hectic day.

She dragged me to the couch and I laid down with my head on her lap. There is something in a mother's embrace, it gives you comfort and peace that no place in the world can. I was territorial as a kid, I used to make a fuss when my mom used to love Amaya and Ananya, I wanted her love for myself and no one else. And Amaya would annoy me more by sticking to my mom every second.

Would you believe me if I said I hated Amaya for the first 5 years of my life?

"Ajju..." She called out my name and I hummed in response feeling the warmth that I was missing ever since I came to India.

"I know you are an adult, can I give you some advice on marriage?" She asked brushing my hair gently.

"I thought Sakhi was gonna get the advice on being a good daughter-in-law and  a good wife, not the other way around.." I replied with sarcasm which made her hit me gently.

"I really like Sakhi, she is the best partner for you. And I am really glad you found her. I was worried when Amaya told me about you guys, but when I met her, I got the same feeling I get when I see my daughters, and I know my maternal instincts can never be wrong." She said patting my back and kissing me on the cheek.

Amaya has Sisternal instincts and my mom has Maternal Instincts, I have the craziest woman in my life.

"But let me tell you something, she is not like your loud sisters, She keeps everything to herself and has a hard time sharing, I want you to be the shoulder for her lean on, be supportive, and have her back. She has that I am strong and I don't need anyone's attitude but on the inside, she is yearning for love, she has been deprived of it for so many years she forgot what it feels like. Take care of her Arjun, I know you will but I get really worried for her." Mom said looking into the empty space deep in thought.

"Amma, I will be the partner Sakhi needs in life. Don't worry and have some faith in your son." I assured her.

"Will you leave the quest of finding meaning in life and come back home? You got more responsibilities now and money is the root of all problems in life, I want you and Sakhi to lead a comfortable life, So please come back home Arjun." Mom asked me and I knew this was coming.

"Don't worry we will figure it out, and If I feel that I need money and I know where you stash it so I can steal some from you." I made fun of the cash stash she has in the kitchen spice box and she hit me with a fake gasp making me laugh.

We heard a knock on the door and turned our heads in shock to look at the person who didn't barge in and had the manners to knock in this house. And it was Sakhi, Amma's eyes radiated happiness when she looked at Sakhi, and she walked away from me to Sakhi.

Sakhi is a vision of beauty, with her flawless glowing skin and her long flowing hair, she is an attractive woman.

"Aunty, Dinner is ready." She said to my mom while I was busy admiring her beauty.

"I am not your Aunty, you better call me Mom," Mom demanded her like she does with my sisters and I was happy at their relationship.

"Won't you call your husband for dinner or will you guys eat privately?" Mom winked at her and Sakhi was baffled at my mom's question.

"We will have our private dinners after you leave, Stop making fun of her Amma. Let's go Sakhi." I told my mom, held Sakhi's hand, and walked with her to the dining room where everyone was waiting for us.

After a quick dinner, everyone was ready to hit the bed, Sakhi will be sleeping with me tonight and that thought made me giddy. I was going to share my room with a woman, as my wife. I went to my room and cleaned it up before she could come in. I took another shower and lay down on the bed when my sisters brought Sakhi to my room. She was all dressed up in a clad saree, flowers in her head.

Everyone was teasing Sakhi except for Amaya who knew the reality of our marriage, after endless teasing, they left us alone and I went towards the door and locked it. She looked nervous and was fisting her hands, did she think that I was going to touch her without her permission?

"You can go into the bathroom and change, Mom bought a few clothes for you and they are in the closet," I said to her and showed her way into the bathroom.

After 30 mins she came out wearing the simplest and probably the least expensive dress in that closet from the looks of it. She looked around the room and was shocked to see me up.

"Can I speak with you for a few minutes?" I asked her and showed her the space on the bed to settle herself on.

"We never talked about the financial situation, You are my wife now and I need to discuss this with you. I am in India because I want to live on my own and make a life on my own, I work as a full-time doctor with Global which is a non-profit organization, with a minimum wage which is 50,000 Rs for a month. I live in a rental single-bedroom apartment near the hospital, and I walk to work. That used to work for me, but now we need more money.." I was about to explain to her that I was willing to make adjustments to earn more money for us but she cut me off saying

"I know that ours is not a marriage out of love and I married you because your sister promised that she would save me from my enemies. But I am not in it for the money and I can sign a pre-nuptial agreement if that assures you, please don't think of me like that. You are rich and it is valid of you to protect your self but this marriage is a blow to self-respect already, I will never take a penny from you. I will return these clothes too."

Good god! This girl is an overthinker, where did she get all these from? I moved closer to her,

"Lady, stop your overthinking Rajdhani express brain train...."I stopped her rambling by holding her hand while she looked at me in shock with her eyes wide open.

"I never implied all that, all I wanted to ask was, do you think we need more money to live comfortably? If not I could take up another job or we can live in this house which is my father's to save money. I do have some savings but I gotta ask Amaya to sell the shares and transfer the money to me." I completed my thought, hanging my head low before she could assume more.

I was ashamed that I didn't have enough money on me to give her a comfortable life. I should've been more prepared in the last few months.

"Arjun.." Sakhi called me softly and I lifted my head up to look at her.

"Don't break your savings, the money you earn is more than enough. Amaya told me that I could start my residency at Global on Monday, and it would pay me around 20K. I've lived with far less than that. So stop worrying about money." She told me calmly but I could see the pain in her eyes.

I held her hand tighter and started to caress her palm wanting to soothe her, and I felt a scar in the middle of her left palm. Why didn't I feel this before? How much pain has this girl gone through? And most of all how do I help her?

"Can you hate someone for what they are doing, but still love them for what they have been?" She asked me out bringing me out of my thoughts.

I didn't know if she was asking me or voicing her thoughts out loud.

Is it possible to hate someone you love?

Human emotions are complex, I believe you can love and hate someone.

In Sakhi's case, they need communication to override the hate that she is feeling from her family. I hope one day she can open up with her parents and sister about what she has been through to reconcile and get all the love she deserves.

"I heard what you said to my sister Krishnaa, Thank you for having my back and I am sorry that you are getting tied to me, and that you are being in the middle of my family drama. I promise not to trouble you and I will make sure you will never have to face such a scenario with my family. " She told me with a guilty look on her face and tears looming in her eyes.

"Sakhi, We are married now, just like how you adapted with my family, I want to do the same with yours. But that doesn't mean I will sit silently when others disrespect you, and I will be glad if you do the same." I said and to that, her reply was a gentle squeeze.

The tears looming in her eyes, make me wanna hug and comfort her, but I know we are not there yet. So for now I promise to myself that I will try to be the best husband for you and hopefully be the shoulder you can lean on.

Sorry for disappearing for so many months,  I needed the time off to get my life together.

So how do you like the story so far?

It's gonna be the start of Arjun and Sakhi from the next chapter, hopefully, you are excited.

Do let me know your thoughts about the story so far.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Love,

Sneha